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(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. CORNISH. BAND GUTTER AND FEEDER.

Patented Deo. 7

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1 TW A (No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. N. CORNISH. B'AND GUTTER AND FEEDER, No. 551,432. Ptented Dec. 17, 1895.

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UNITEDA STATES V PATENT Orricn.

NATHAN CORNISH, OF GARNIER, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM O. MCCANN, OF SAME PLACE.

BAND-CUTTER AND FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 551,432, dated December 17, 1895.

Application led March 16, 1895. Serial No. 541,968. (No model.)

To all whom zit may con-cern: Y

Be it known that l, NATHAN Conivisn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Garner, in the county of Hancock and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Automatic Band-Cutter and Feeder for Thrashers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an attachment for thrashinganachines that may readily be adapted to feed thrashers of different capacity or to feed grain in bundles or loose, and further to provide a simple, cheap and light-running feeder that will present the grain to the thrashing-cylinder in an even layer throughout the entire length of the cylinder to thereby prevent clogging and to increase the capacity of the feeder and cylinder. My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustra-ted in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device through the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig, liis a perspective view of one of the spreader-s detached. Fig.

5 is a detail perspective view of the mechan-V ism for throwing the feeding machinery in or Fig. G is a perspective view of the modified form of the bundle -receiving frame used when the band-cutting knives are employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference letter A. is used to indicate the frame of the machine adapted to be supported by any suitable means in a position to deliver grain to the cylinder of a thrashing-machine. Two shafts A2 and A3 are mounted in the opposite ends of this frame and a suitable endless conveyer AL passed over the shafts.

' This conveyor is operated by power derived from the thrashing-machine by means of a shaft B mounted in the frame of the self-feeder and having a beltavheel B2 to receive a belt from the thrasher.

B3 is a pulley on the opposite end of the shaft connected with a pulley on the shaft A? by the belt Il, and fixed to the said shaft B near its central portion is a circular bandcutting knife B5.

The bundles orsheaves of grain are placed in the outer end of the carrier and are conveyed to the middle thereof so as to pass directly under the band-cutting knife by means of two inclined boards C at the sides of the frame. To prevent more than one bundle entering at a time, a swinging longitudinal partition D is placed over the central portion of the outer end. IV hen a bundle is admitted from one side the swinging partition is forced outwardly toward the opposite side, thus preventing the admission of a bundle from said side until the first bundle has passed beyond the partition. Furthermore this partition and the guides cause the bundle to assume a position parallel with the carrier and thus pass straight under the band-cutting knife.

F indicates aspreader designed to separate the grain after the bands are severed, comprising a sheet-metal upright with a sharpcned front edge and divergent side pieces supported above the endless conveyer A4 and directly in the rear of the ban d-cutter by means of a cross-piece F2, secured to the sides of the machine-frame.

Il indicates a frame composed of parallel side pieces and a top piece pivotally supported by means of the laterally-extending journals H2, placed in the slotted standards H3. II4 indicates a shaft in the forward lower corner of the frame and ll3 a like shaft in the rear lower corner. Il indicates an endless conveyor passed over said shafts and the platforms Il7 and Ils are supported in position between the upper and lower portions of the endless conveyor. The space between said platforms is closed at the ends thereof by the sheet-metal guards Il. rlhis frame His positioned directly over the rear end of the endless conveyer A4 and inclined upwardly at its foi-Ward end, leaving the space between its rear end and the conveyer A4 normally very contracted. This rear end is, however, per mitted a slight vertical movement by reason of the-springs J, fixed to the top of the frame H and in engagement with a cross-piece J2 fixedto the machine-frame A. Thus the grain passing through between the two conveyers IOO is pressed out flat or of an equal thickness throughoutl theentire width of the. conveyers. The upper conveyer may, however, yield slightly to admit a greater quantity of grain, and, further, the grain is aided to advance by both the upper and under conveyer, thus economizing power. J3 indicates a guide ito direct the straw under the upper conveyer and prevent it from piling up on top of the said upper conveyer. It is supported by the side pieces of the frame A.

The upper conveyer is arranged to be operated by means of a belt-wheel K, loosely mounted on the shaft A3, connected with a belt-wheel K2, fixed to the forward shaft of the upper conveyer, by a crossed belt K3. Means are provided for automaticallyadjusting the tension of the belt as the forwardend of the upper eonveyer is raised or lowered -by the grain, as follows:

v.K4 indicates an arm fixed to ythe forward end portion of the upper conveyerfframe and overlapping the side of the frame A.

K5 indicates .a lever Vfulerumed to the side of the frame A and having a-pulley K(i on its one end and its other end pivoted to .thearm K4. This pulley is so disposed asto vengage the belt K3. \Vhen `the rearendof ,the upper conveyer-.frame is elevated the :forward end of the frame will be lowered, thus bringing the -two beltewheels more nearly in .the same plane and thereby loosening the belt. The pulley KG is, however, by this movement correspondingly raised andthe belt thereby tightened proportionately.

For throwing the upperconveyer.in or out of gear, I have provided a lug N onthe outer surface of Athe belt-wheel K, `a disk N2 slidingly mounted on the shaft A3 and provided witha lug Ntoengage the lug N. This disk is provided with an annu-larly-,grooved hub N1 and is Anormally held in Vengagement with the pulley K by means of an .extensile `*coilspring `N" indicates a lever pivoted lto the side .of the frame A .and having a forked lower end admitted into the groovcd hub N4. A -latch N7 provides `means for holding the end .of .the lever inwardly and the disk and belt-.wheel separated.

` vWhen it is desired to .use the machincon thrashers of greater capacity, the swinging partition in the forward end of the frame A is removed and the device shown in Fig. 6 inserted in its place. This device comprises a fixed .central ,partition T with outwardlyinclined Iboards vat its bottom, a cross-.piece Tzat its top, an end .piece T3, and two vparallel side pieces T4, inclined inwardly and adapted to rest yuponfthe side pieces of the frame A and support the device above the conveyer. Bundles of grain are admitted from each side at the same time and with this device two cutting-knives and also two spreaders are used, positioned to engage each row of bundles.

In the practical operation of the device when the form shown in Fig. 3 is used it is obvious that bundles of grain may be fed from either or both sides and the bundles pass one by one in a longitudinal position to the central portion of the endless conveyer. This bundle-will be first engaged by the cut ting-disk and the band severed. Then the stationary spreader will distribute the bundle -somewhat,.and upon rentering between the two conveyers vthe vgrain willbe forced to distribute .evenly over the surface of the conveyer-and befed to the .cylinder in a layer of uniform thickness. It is obvious .further that the feeding mechanism cannot `become clogged .with ,wet or tangled grain. ,Furthen more the .operator has perfect control over .the operation o f the iippcrcoiiveyer,and the belt .for operating `said conveyer is .always maintained ata given ten sion. The machine may be readily adapted for ythrashers of different Acapacities bysubstituting one bundleguiding deviceefor another, or-if loose grain is fed the Jguides .may be dispensed with entirely.

Having .thus described my invention, .what lclaim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States therefor, is.-`

In .an improved self feeder for thrashing machines, -the combination of a suitable `plat for1n,.an endlessconveyer arranged to travel longitudinally thereof, a second platform above theendof the `first inclined so that the outer ends .-of -the -two converge, an endless carrier passing around said platform, a belt wheel Aloosely ,mounted .on the shaft of the endless Aeonveyeron the lower fra-me, means for throwing said wheel .in .and .out of gear with the shaft, a belt Awheel on the uppershaft of the -top.conveyer, a crossed beltoonnecting the two, an arm fixed to .the top frame, a lever fulcrumed to the lower frame and pivotedto the armandapulleyon the opposite `end ,inengagement .withsaid belt, substantiallyas and for the purposes stated.

NATHAN CORNISH. Witnesses J. E. WIGHMAN., EUGENE .Con-Nistri.

IOS 

